Too Much of Nothing
by Zarius
Summary: A rewrite of key scenes in "Resolution". The Doctor makes mincemeat out of house and home, and begins work on identifying a familiar threat to Earth. Graham invites her out to a takeaway, and that's when the storms begin to gather.


**DOCTOR WHO:**

**TOO MUCH OF NOTHING**

**WRITTEN BY ZARIUS**

**(A rewrite of key scenes in "Resolution")**

* * *

In flight in the vortex, the TARDIS was en route to yet another destination, and its occupant was steeling herself for the moment she was dreading, the moment where she would confirm her worst fears to her friends.

"I've got the TARDIS scanning the sewers for non-terrestrial life signals"

"So where are we actually going?" Graham asked

The Doctor gave him a gentle smile; this was the question she'd been hoping for.

"Your house of course"

Graham gulped.

The TARDIS landed, and for once it had made quite a mess in the front room as it parked up. The team stepped outside and examined the damage.

"Whoops" said The Doctor

"You've landed on my chair" said Graham as he picked up on the chair's splintered legs and waved it in front of her.

"Well, if you will leave chairs around the place"

"This is my front room"

"Where's your kitchen? I just need to get some eggs to check the protein alignments in the goo" she asked.

Graham pointed to the bottom right of the room, the Doctor smiled and motioned to head over there, when suddenly she caught sight of a few other assortments that had been knocked off the mantelpiece and now lay damaged at the foot of the TARDIS.

She picked up what appeared to be a damaged picture frame with a photograph inside. Graham insisted he pry it off her hands

"I'll put that back for you Doc"

"No, I've got it"

"Doc, you really shouldn't..."

"The frame's a bit loose, I can have my sonic fix it right up"

She wrestled the frame from Graham's hands and stared at the photo inside, her hearts froze with apprehension at the sight of Graham and Grace beside a man dressed like a humanoid ape.

"_Harry and the Hendersons_ cosplayer, San Diego 2017" said Graham.

"Oh Graham, Graham I'm so sorry"

"It's nothing, its fine"

The Doctor hung over him, gently placing her warm hands on his back.

"Don't say that, it's everything. She was everything"

Graham wandered over to the window and watched the traffic pass by on the bustling roads. He composed himself as small pangs of hurt coursed through his body.

"It's not as raw you know, the loss. I'm getting by better every day, you needn't worry"

"Would you like to talk about it sometime?"

"When? Over dinner?" Graham joked.

"If you like"

"Is she asking him out?" Ryan whispered to Yaz.

"Seems that way" Yaz observed

"Alright, but it better be a takeaway" Graham replied.

"Fantastic" The Doctor said.

The soothing and palpable atmosphere was soon interrupted by the ringing doorbell.

"Intruder alert" The Doctor said as she looked into Graham's eyes and gave him a warm smile.

With a spring in his step, Graham wandered over to the door and opened it.

"No" he said, and swiftly shut it again.

"Who was it?" said Ryan.

"Wrong number" said Graham.

The doorbell rang again.

"Intruder alert?" The Doctor replied.

"Doorbell" said Graham,

The Doctor cheered merrily and dented his shoulder with her arm.

"I'm just kidding"

"Is that who I think it is Granddad?" Ryan asked

"You expecting someone?" asked Yaz

"Granddad never normally seals the door shut on someone unless he's sure they're causing us trouble"

Ryan turned back to Graham

"Let him in" he said, giving him a telling nod.

Graham reluctantly opened the door, allowing a gruff and dishevelled individual wearing a stained grey coat and a worn out scarf, carrying a large box.

Yaz could read a look of sharp pain on Ryan's face as he approached the man.

"This is Yaz and The Doctor" he said, pointing to his friends and helping the older man with the heavy box.

"Hi, how are you all doing?" he asked.

"This is my dad" Ryan said.

The Doctor and Yaz both looked at him and then at each other, not sure how to deal with a clearly awkward situation.

"Hi, Ryan's Dad. The late Ryan's dad"

"Doc, he ain't dead" said Graham

"No, but he was late wasn't he? Didn't even show up at Grace's funeral" The Doctor snapped

"No, no I wasn't" said Aaron.

"Your own mother. Your own _mother,_ and you never showed up. Shame on you"

"Look Ryan, I don't have a lot of time today, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind a bit of a natter with me"

"Natter?" said Ryan

"It means a chat, the Scottish love using that word. So did I, back when I was a man, my eyebrows were furious, madder than I am now at your dad"

Yaz turned to Ryan

"Ball's in your court Ryan, what do you want to do?" she said.

"Yeah, a chat, why not?" he said.

"Mind if we go out for that takeaway right now Doc? I don't think I want to be in anyone's company but yours right now" Graham said.

"Sure, just let me finish up here first" said The Doctor, popping back into the kitchen to conduct her experiments.

"You can do it on the go can't you? Come on, bus stop's just a few blocks away"

At a nearby park bench, under a murky sky, the clouds fit to burst with rain, The Doctor was fidgeting with apparatus, wiring attached to egg holsters, and Graham looking on, transfixed at what was occurring, but just as much concerned about how frantic The Doctor was being as she conducted her little experiment.

"Bio-profiling nearly complete. _Alright_. Ding"

"Ding?" said Graham

"Yeah, ding. I love ding. Best sound in the universe. Except now"

"Why?"

"This just happens to be the DNA of the most dangerous creature in the universe"

"Does it have a name?"

"You lot have heard it enough times, lucky for you all, the universe is merciful enough to let you forget"

"You always let danger occupy your every thought Doc?"

"Graham, now's not the time for personal questions"

"Oh I think it is. You're full of this sort of knowledge, and I can tell from your face it really rattles you, this one in particular. Doc, it's OK, you can let a little terror out"

The Doctor remained only slightly composed, more taken aback that there was a minimum of your usual display of fortitude. Something was compelling her to expose her raw and unfiltered dread.

She wondered if it was because of the reality she was dealing with, the fact that they were always coming back, always laying wastes to the worlds she landed on, the parks she and her friends played in, the satellites where she would observe the turning and the burning of the Earth in equal splendour.

Wherever it was, they would come. Whoever's heart beat, they would bring it to a sudden stop. Without mercy, without hesitation.

On and on their onslaught would continue, and people would be lost, lives so precious snuffed out in an instant, and now the threat of loss loomed large over her friends, those she cared for the most.

Their days with her had up 'till now, been so full of innocence, almost like it had been a deliberate act on The Doctor's part to steer them into manageable situations, situations that could test them in ways they could handle. Maybe she directly avoided the real dangers herself, feeling somewhat unsure of her current mindset. She had been somewhat less of a warrior than she used to be, her sense of growth didn't seem to have a taste for war any longer.

But too much of nothing was just as tough for her as too much of something. She believed with her enemies coming that her friends were just not prepared, and she wondered just how ready she was to deal with the possible ramifications.

She wanted to beg for Graham to disengage the loving and assuring gaze he was giving her, his eyes meeting with her concerned and distraught gaze as feelings of anxiety and worry began to uncharacteristically overwhelm her.

This was her first real test, and she was not so sure she could pass.

"We all get a little scared Doc, me, Yaz, Ryan, a jolt goes down our spines every time we step through those TARDIS doors, but we reassure one another, because we've become a family, we've become your family. Let us in, let _me_ in"

Graham gripped The Doctor's hand tenderly; the heated passion in the eyes as they met was palpable.

"What's the creature's name?" Graham asked gently, but laced with a nervous apprehension. He could read how distraught The Doctor was becoming, but he was determined to demonstrate to her there was bravery in vulnerability.

The Doctor's lips quivered as she let the name slip.

"A Dalek"

Graham reached out and gathered The Doctor's head in his arms as she buried her face in his lap, cradling it as the rain slowly began to trickle down.

The Doctor let the fright overtake her, but by letting Graham cradle her, she knew in her hearts she needed this.

To know the way to feel.

To keep her satisfied.


End file.
